Toward a New Definition of Community Partnership: A Three-Dimensional Approach

We propose a new definition of partnership, which emphasizes the role and meaning of power in creating partnership. Following a case study of change processes within a kibbutz community undergoing lifestyle changes, The proposed definition focuses on three dimensions of partnership: (a) the overt dimension, in which partnership is manifested through daily community life such as organizational structure, rules and norms; (b) the covert dimension, which focuses on symbolic rites of partnership and "non-events"; (c) the latent dimension, which expresses internalized partnership and influences participants' consciousness through socialization and world views.